Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has been fined 20% of his match fee after a heated incident involving Australian debutant Sam Konstas during the fourth Test in Melbourne. It happened during the 10th over of Australia’s innings when Kohli and Konstas accidentally bumped shoulders while crossing the pitch. Both players turned back, exchanged sharp words, and had to be separated by Usman Khawaja, Konstas’ teammate.
The on-field umpires acted promptly to calm down the situation. According to sources, Kohli has been accused of a Level 1 offense under the ICC’s code of conduct. Some believed Kohli was going to be suspended, while the penalty was only a fine. There were no charges of a Level 2 offense that entails sterner punishments.
Kohli fined his match fee but Australian debutant Sam Konstas did not mind the incident
Speaking after the day’s play, Konstas clarified that the encounter wasn’t intended. “Virat bumped into me accidentally. These things happen in cricket when emotions run high,” the teenager told Channel 7. Konstas was unfazed by the incident. He further added:
“I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket,”
He showed remarkable composure on debut. He followed the exchange by smashing Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six, going on to score a brilliant fifty before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
Not everyone considered the incident trivial. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting condemned Kohli, saying that he was the one who instigated the whole situation. “Kohli walked across the pitch to instigate that. Fielders have no business being in the batter’s path during an overchange,” Ponting said on Channel 7. He called for match officials to closely examine the replay.
For now, all attention goes back to action on the field. All those emotions and high stakes were in play as this Boxing Day Test continued on both the pitch and out of it.
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